VILLAGERS in Hampton-in-Arden have pledged to band together to fight off any unwanted development blighting other communities across the country.

The village boasts seven shops, two pubs, a post office and its own rail station, which villagers say adds up to a winning combination.

Residents say they are committed to ensuring the village retains its sense of community which is why they work so hard to preserve it.

"The biggest bone of contention is developers knocking down houses and putting up blocks of flats," said Graham Juniper, chairman of the Hampton Society.

"We had one which has been going on for a while, but we have managed to fight it off twice so far."

"If it is passed, we believe it will open the floodgates." The proposed development involves one Edwardian property to be knocked down and turned into 15 flats.

Villagers had previously lost their fight to stop owners of The Engine pub from knocking it down and turning it into flats.

Mr Juniper has lived in the village for 31 years and believes the village needs affordable family homes rather than flats, to encourage more families with young children to move there.

"The birthrate has dropped around the country and houses in Hampton-in-Arden are very expensive. It means families with young children can't afford to live here and that means the school is suffering," he said.

Other concerns include nearby Birmingham International Airport, which is due to expand in the next six years.

Although the flight path misses the village, there are a few "strays" which provoke some residents on occasions.

"When a plane flies over some people shake their fists at it," said the Rev Keith Claringbull, Vicar of St Mary's and St Bartholomew's Church.

"And other people say 'well done mate' because they get fined every time they go off the flight path - and that money is then put into an airport community fund, which we can benefit from."

Mr Claringbull said Hampton was the envy of other villages.

"It benefits from the fact it has more than 50 volunteer organisations," he said. "There are also seven shops, two pubs, a post office and railway station so many villages would give their eye teeth for these facilities and the church has a natural place in that.

"I sometimes wonder how people get to bed here because there is so much to do."